Machine for sewing on buttons.



H. W. MORRIS. MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, 1911.

1,087,601 Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

HAROLD w. mounts, on ,nosron, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOB SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb..17, 1914'.

Application filed January 7, 1911. Serial No. 601,444.

This improved machine is particularly adapted for the sewing on of shank or tail buttons, so called, in which the member of the button which is adapted to be secured to the fabric is located approximately parallel with the button and at such distance from the button as to permit the passage of the needle between the back of the button and said member.

One object of the invention is to sew on a button of the nature described in such manner that trimming of the end or ends of the thread after sewing will not benecessary.

Another object of the invention is to more accurately position the buttons and fabric during the sewing operation whereby the buttons will 'be more accurately positioned on the fabric when attached thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved button sewing machine.

The invention consists in such novel features of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1, represents an end view, of portions of the improved button sewing machine. Fig. 2, represents a cross sectional view of parts thereof taken on line 2-2 Fig. 1.

Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

As sliown in the drawings, in its preferred form 5, indicates part of the head of a button sewing machine having the table 6 furnished with the throat plate 7 having the needle hole 8. Button clamp vibrating means 9 and stitch forming means, including the needle 10 and the looper 11, similar to the button clamp vibrating means and the stitch forming means described in Letters Patent to Robert L. Lyons, No. 856,645, dated J unell, 1907, are preferably used in the present machine but I do not Wish to confine myself to the use ofthe particular devices described in said patent. I also make use of a well known form of button clamp lifting means comprising the lever 12 pivotally mounted and having the actuating rod 13 and the button clamp connecting means or chain 14:. In the present invention however this button clamp lifting means has a somewhat differentfunction from that of the ordinary device of somewhat similar construction ordinarily used to lift the free end of the button clamp at the completion of a group of stitches for, in present invention, the chain 14" effects the opening of the button clamp to release the button.

Slidably mounted on the, table 6 is the button clamp base 15 which is moved back and forth, in line'with the needle hole 8, by the vibrator 9. To the projection 16 of this base 15 is secured the lower, preferab y rigid, button engaging arm 17 having the upwardly extending member 18 andwhich arm 17, at its forward end is furnished with button engaging means adapted to engage the lower edge of a button when said button is placed with its diameter in vertical position. Pivotally connected with the member '18 is the upper button engaging arm 19 which at its free end is adapted to' engage the upper edge of a button sustained on the arm 17. This arm 19 is pressed downward by the spring 20 carried by the member 21, which is attached to the base 15, and said arm is raised or swung upward by the upward movement of chain 14 which is connected with an extension from said arm 19.

Attached to the extension 16 of the button clamp base 15 are the arms or plates 22, 22 of thin and preferably resilient sheet metal which, at their outer ends have the work supporting block or member 23 furnished with the adjusting screw 25 which extends through said work support 23 and is free 'to bear and'to slide onthe throat plate 'By the use of this screw 25 the work supportin block or member 23 may be adjusted verticly relative to the shank. of a button held between the arms 17 and 19. A button may therefore be placed in position, with itsshank extending laterally, and the member 23 ,may'then be adjusted relative to such shank. The end or edge 24 of'this work support 23 is or may be shaped to conform approximately to that portion of the button lying nearest the fabric when said button is attached to the fabric,

clamp relative to the path 0 the needle,

In the operation of the machine the arm 19 of the button clamp is raised and a but-. ton having the head a and tail or loop I) is engaged between the complemental holding devices of the arms 17 and 19 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing with the thread hole or perforation of the tail Z) approximately in line with the needle 10. The fabric 0 is folded upon itself at the point to which the buttonis to be attached and said fabric is then placed on the work support 23 and the edge of the fold is pressed against the tail of button a. The machine is now operated and the needle l0imakes a series of loop delivery movements while, the, button clamp is vibrated back and forth thus alternately bringing the hole of the tail Z) and a part of the folded portion of the fabric 0 into the path of the needle 10 whereby said button tail is attached by loops of thread to the fabric. If-the patented stitch forming means above mentioned be used the button clamp will be brought to a stand before the movement of the needle ceases and a chain of thread loops will be formed which,

ultimately tightening, will cause the break ing of the thread in such manner that the trimming of the thread is unnecessary.

'With other forms of stitch forming devices the thread extending from the last stitch may be trimmed in any suitable manner.

By the term vertical herein used with references to the position of the button, 1 mean to distinguish from that horizontal position in which flat two or four hole but tons are placed in the ordinary button clamp.

Having thus described'my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l 1. A button sewing machine comprising a button clamp, means for movin said button and a work support movable with said button clamp, said work support being vertically adjustable relative to thebutton engaging devices of said clamp.

2. A button sewing machine comprising movable means for slmnorting a button in a vertical position, and work supporting a button clamp movably mounted and hav-.

ing a fixed arm and a pivoted arm cooperating to hold a button vertically, a work support adjacent the end of the fixed arm' and having a flexible connection with the button clamp said work support having an adjusting screw and means for moving said button clamp relative to the path of the needle, substantially as described.

A. A button sewing machine comprising a button clamp movably mounted and having means for receiving the edge of a button, an arm pivotally mounted andhaving means for engaging the upper edge of a button and cooperating with the first mentioned button engaging means, a work support mounted to move with said button engaging means, means for adjusting said work support vertically, and means for vibrating said button engaging means and said work holder. I

5. A button sewing machine comprising complemental means for sustaining the head of a shank button in a vertical position with its shank extending laterally, and fabric supporting means adjustable vertically relative to said button shank, so positioned.

6. A button sewing machine, comprising a button clamp movably mounted and having a fixed button engaging member and a pivoted vertically swinging button engaging arm, a flexible member secured to said button clamp, a work support mounted on said flexible member, and an adjusting screw engaged with said work support, substantially as described. 1

7. A sewing machine comprising stitch forming means, complemental means for engaging the edges of a button when positioned vertically, and a fabric sup ort adjustable with relation to the center of a button when so positioned, said fabric support mounted for vertical movement.

HAROLD W.'MORRIS. Witnesses; Y

H. J. MiLLER, H. MORTON. 

